Air intake system for tractors



March 9, 1954 H, KLEMM ET AL 2,671,521

AIR INTAKE SYSTEM FOR TRACTORS Filed May 8, 1951 I ,8 i Q I I 15 E y E ffll eltfilism Herman e m Richard M Hau i enmeder (M Pir MM! 10% misc Patented Mar. 9, 1954 IU N IITEZD T i AIRJN-TAKEYSXSTEM FOR TRACTORS Herman 4 G. Klemm, Birmingham, and 'Richai-d WJHautzenroeder; Detroit, Mich, assignorszto ":HarrytFergusonaIna, Detroit, Mich.,.-.a-yc9 .'-n

.Z-rClaimS. 1

"The present invention relates 'to air -'-intake -systemsfor supplying clean,--fresh anto the ear- ,buretor of the internal combustion engineyvhich ordinarily constitutes the powerplantof-atrac- .;2 considerations. I For instance, engine I vibration is a factor that tends to stir up otherwiseas'ettleable --material-and the current of air createdtby 'the tra'ctor fanserves to direct this materialaiin the general directionofthe air cleanereunit.

j tor or other ;se lf -prope1lir1g-' farm implement. s

;-Present day tractors are generally patterned Exhaust fumes and gases: such as thoser wh-ioh "along similar constructional =1ines'-whereinthe may issue fromany breathertregions'of theien- "engine orpowerplant-situated"at the front of ginedueto faulty-or loose-=connections=valsofmay "the' vehicle' isprovided-with a' shield rather than contribute toward the impureiatmospherezinethe an-enclosinghood, whichencloses onl-y-the--up- 10' general region of-theaircleaner. IEurtlaxermore, per' regions of the engine and-leaves'thesides when the moving-tractor as a-vehiclementers [thereof exposed, and -isseparated from* theqdrivupon a particularly dustdaden: regionsor zscene ers space by' an instrument panel and'steering of operations, the aircleanergbeingin'a forward column assembly. exposed and unprotected position,.- gathers sin-ea -The open-sided j arrangement briefly I outlined -oonsiderable quantityef" the-existing 'impurities. jabove provides, in-efiect;-a"canopy--for theen- "This phenomenon oitractoroperatiomresults'in gi ne, the overlying *cover -portion" being forthe frequent-clogging or saturationof the air-cleaner. purpose of shielding -or protecting the ignition Clogging of the: air: cleaner invariablytnecessystem-frommoisture during inclement Weather, 'sitates a temporary cessation of operations ivhile -forshielding the fuel'tank and otherwiseacting zo'the. cleaner '-unit::=is disassemblediandithe f'dust .asa e l fi f fi ell as for protecting the screen associated therewith is' relievediofifitst iae- 'more'delicateengineinstrumentalities -such as cumulated .contents. Saturation. of .the Emil "the controlrods, electricalcables-=and the-like cleaner is more serious in thatvthe; cleaner :iwi'll, from damage due to -contact-with falling -01 unknown to the operator; passiimpure air:.=con- -passing objects. The ;-exposure of {the-engine taininggritty andabrasive particlessthrough to sidespis deemed desirable or necessary'- to --entheengine, thus :in'itime.irreparablyfiidamaging jhene e l n cooling C erateristicsas-well-as the sameorshortening its useful life. ziwhen'eit ito; provide for'quick and easyaceess to the enis considered' that inany manutacturere: issue'rinine'ior pu p s s 0f insp t 0 iustment structions=:requ=iring the inspection: andzaoleaning during operation 11 thereof. 0f the air cleanertwice/daily during 'thesopera- A 'B aus of t llyu wheracter-"of tion of the tractor,-it'is notsurprising;consider- "-'theall in-the immediate -vici-nity--of-- a tractor ingrthe human: tendency -0f owners. toi disregard h 'r't latter -Qp particularly the manufacturers instructionsthat many-trac- -when ope at g i ry "-1 p y tors-have a relatively short live'd-existence.

u it 'isessential" hat onl-y filteredaii' be "The present invention is designed to =overcome --adm-itted to the-earburetor foradmixture-With theabovenoted limitations thatare attendant the fuel. Accordingly the intake -opening--of-the --upon the ;use of tractors -and' toward'this erid dt carburetor is usu'a'llyeoIl-nected through a suitcontemplates the provision-of anintakecoriduit :able conduit -w-ith -a -so-cal-led air-cleaner by which is connected to the-inlet open-ingot t-he means of which air, drawn into the cleaner 40 conventional air cleaner and which-is arranged -:through an air inlet, is screened-and passed todrayvfresh-airthrough;a;preliminary=filter-in "L h HE a h-of -'oil--or'-0ther-' q n is ashieldedlocation ,on the operators sideof-tlie "charged through an outlet leadi-ng-=to'the-carinstrument panel in full view of *thepperator i'buretor. Ordinarily such airicleaners are situand ma, position convenient for wiping away Aated-in-the-vicinity;of-theengine --in -a-more or coarse-particlesthat may--accumul ate*on=such fless exposed positiom'usually at;one--open-side -filter. fThe advantages of-sut-h a -construction of the partial -hood--or"' shield which extends over --will j'become :more readily apparent as whe -fol- --the;engine. Frequently this'air cleaner is posilowing-description ensues. timed-immediately in front-of-the instrument Thegprovision of -an1air intake system of' t-he panel on the engine side thereof. In such i-ncharacter brieflyoutlinedaboVebeing the -pringstancesytheair drawninto the cleaner from'the 'cipal objectof-the invention-a further objectis engine side of the instrumentjpanel; is particuto -pr ovide-- such a system 'whieh;-may -be=--manuglarly dust laden inasmuch as the atmospherein facturedand installed as standard and integral ,the' vicinity of ;the engine is'heavily congested equipmentjon'a tractor or-one which may -be With dirt'end *dust occasioned -'-by *numerous "-*readil-y applied to existing -traetors with' bm slight modification of the original tractor equipment.

Another object of the invention is to provide an air intake system for tractor engines which will not require relocation of the conventionally mounted air cleaner on the tractor chassis or one which will require no modification of the air cleaner whatsoever.

Other objects and advantages of the invention, not at this time enumerated, will become more readily apparent as the nature of the invention is better understood.

In the accompanying single sheet of drawings forming a part of this specification:

Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of a tractor instrument panel showing the improved air intake system applied thereto.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative constructions, there is shown in the drawings and will herein be described in detail the preferred embodiment, but it is to be understood that it is not thereby intended to limit the invention to the form disclosed, but it is intended to cover all modifications and alternative constructions falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as expressed in the appended claims.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, a conventional air cleaner I is shown as being mounted adjacent the rear end region of the space provided for the vehicle engine a portion of which has been shown at H and in front and to one side of the usual instrument panel assembly I2. The air cleaner Ill is provided with an air inlet connection I3 and an air outlet connection M, the latter being operatively connected through a flexible conduit IE to the intake side of the engine carburetor (not shown). The instrument panel assembly l2 includes a panel proper I 6 preferably formed of sheet metal and having a generally flat central region I! bounded by a laterally turned peripheral flange IS,

The usual panel instruments including a time meter l9, an ignition switch assembly 20, ammeter 2|, temperature indicator 22, oil pressure gauge 23 and light switch 24 appear on the operators side of the panel and these instrumentalities are all suitably mounted in openings provided for them on the panel. The panel assembly I2 is suitably supported from the vehicle steering column 25. The above instrumentalitie and their arrangement on th panel assembly I 2 are purely conventional and no claim is made here to any novelty associated with the same, the novelty of the present invention residing rather in the novel construction and combination of parts about to be more fully described.

An opening 26 is formed in the instrument panel [6 and is preferably centered above the oil pressure gauge 23 and light switch 24 at the right hand side of the panel as viewed in Fig. l where it is in full view of the operator or driver. The air intake connection |3 of the air cleaner I0 is connected by means of a flexible conduit 21 to the opening 26 and one end of the conduit 21 is secured by means of a removable clamp 28 to the inlet connection [3 while the other end of the conduit is flared as at 29 against the wall of the opening 26. A preliminary filter, herein shown as a circular screen 30 bears at its peripheral regions against the flared end 29 of the flexible conduit 21 and a hooded fixture 3| serves to removably clamp the dust screen 30 into position over the opening 26. The fixture 3| includes a substantially circular rim 32 having an ear or tongue 33 formed thereon designed for reception in a slot 34 provided in the panel I 6 a slight distance above the opening 26. A hole or notch 35 is provided in a rim 32 at a region diagrammatically opposed from the tongue 33 and the sides of th notch are adapted to straddle a threaded stud 36 in order that the hooded fixture 3| may be removably secured in position by means of a clamping thumb nut 37. The fixture 3| includes a hood portion 38 which overlies the upper region of the opening 26 and partially conceals the screen 30 but which at the same time affords ample clearance for the ingress of fresh air through the opening 26 into the flexible conduit 21 and from thence to the intake connection I3 of the air cleaner l0. Note particularly that the hood portion 38 only partially conceals the screen 30 leaving a sufilcient area visible so that the operator can readily detect undue accumulation of foreign material and remove it before the air intake is objectionably reduced.

From the above description it will be seen that the air intake system just described affords a means for drawing air designed for combustion purposes from a region in the vicinity of the tractor which is generally free from dust in that it is situated on the driver's side of the instrument panel assembly |2. Since the inlet end of the flexible conduit is screened by the provision of the preliminary filter 30, any large or coarse particles such as straw, leaves, or the like are collected thereon and effectively prevented from entering the air cleaner. Moreover, an accumulation of such coarse material is within full view of the driver who may conveniently wipe or brush it from the preliminary filter to prevent the reduction of the air supply to the tractor engine. In addition, cleaner air is supplied to the air cleaner l0 when the tractor is moving in a forward direction, as for example, during actual plowing, cultivating or other progressive operations, since any dust that may be stirred up by virtue of vibration of the vehicle engine or any sedimentary gases that may be exuded in the vicinity of the engine from the lubrication system thereof are diverted by the panel l6 and do not come in to the vicinity of the inlet opening 26 provided in the panel |6.

When it is desired to remove the dust screen 30 for cleaning or replacement it is merely necessary to remove the thumb nut 31, swing the hooded fixture 3| outwardly and upwardly and withdraw the tongue 33 from the slot 34. The dust screen 30 is thus accessible for removal purposes. It may be reapplied by a reversal of the process just described.

We claim as our invention:

1. The combination with a tractor having an instrument panel provided with an opening therein and an air cleaner unit mounted on the tractor engine and provided with an air inlet positioned forwardly of said instrument panel, of a flexible conduit having one end thereof in communication with said inlet, the other end of said conduit extending through said opening, said latter end of the conduit being provided with an outwardly flared rim overlapping the edges of said openin a screen dimensioned to overlie said conduit rim, 2. cover plate having an aperture and a peripheral rim portion conforming in shape to the outwardly flared rim of said conduit and adapted to abut the marginal edge portion of said screen, and means for releasably clamping said cover plate to said instrument panel over said opening with its rim portion bearing against the marginal edge portion of said screen and the flared rim of said flexible conduit to maintain the latter in sealing relationship to the panel, there being a downwardly extending hood portion formed on said cover plate partially overlying said aperture but exposing a portion of the screen to direct view of the tractor operator.

2. For use with a tractor having an instrument panel having an aperture therein and located in the conventional manner rearward of the engine and in front of the driver with an unobstructed air space at the rear face of such panel, the combination of a. finely apertured preliminary filter, means for supporting said preliminary filter in said aperture in the instrument panel and positioned so that the filter is presented to the view of the driver in position convenient for wiping away coarse particles that accumulate on it, a main illter adapted to be mounted on the engine, a con- 20 duit extending from the instrument panel forwardly of said preliminary filter to said main filter for conveying air sucked through the former into the latter, and an apertured fixture mounted over the aperture in the instrument panel and cooperating with said preliminary filter and said conduit to secure both to the instriunent panel.

HERMAN G. KLEMM.

RICHARD W. HAUTZENROEDER.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,500,031 Phillips July 1, 1924 1,863,015 Kamrath June 14, 1932 1,876,679 Holmes Sept. 13, 1932 2,197,503 Martin Apr. 16, 1940 2,203,407 Donalson June 4, 1940 

